Workfare Week of Action 6th-14th July

Tomorrow is the start of a ‘Workfare Week of action’, against the scheme that employs free labour from those on benefits.

Image: Scriptonite Daily

Designed to coincide with the Workfare annual conference, the grassroots campaigners from Boycott Workfare – who have worked tirelessly to expose companies, inform people and encourage a boycott of the scheme – plan to make some noise and raise awareness about the campaign.

A decent day’s work deserves a decent day’s wage. Big companies who have been involved in the scheme such as Argos, Poundland and M&S (now running their own version of the scheme for 2% of their staff) CAN afford to pay people to work for them.They should not use people in this way to bolster their profits. We do not want our young people to face months of free labour before pay, to enter the jobs market. We do not want those struggling already on benefits to be forced into labour and exploited. We do not want benefits that taxpayers provide to be used as the buffer for an industry of slave labour.

“Boycott Workfare is a UK-wide campaign to end forced unpaid work for people who receive welfare. Workfare profits the rich by providing free labour, whilst threatening the poor by taking away welfare rights if people refuse to work without a living wage. We are a grassroots campaign, formed in 2010 by people with experience of workfare and those concerned about its impact. We expose and take action against companies and organisations profiting from workfare; encourage organisations to pledge to boycott it; and actively inform people of their rights.”